An Honored Shinobi
by Yidkirkin of the Warhammer
Summary: When Asuma is killed fighting Hidan, his funeral is postponed until after the other Akatsuki are dealt with. It is several weeks later that a small group of people receive notice of his death, and must make their way to Konoha. Will they come to terms with Asuma's death, and will they get to know the ones he left behind? Asuma is Harry. Canon pairings mostly. Pretty much abandoned.
1. Prologue

An Honored Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

Lunary, for some reason your review gave me new inspiration. I'm very grateful for it.

Prologue: **During the three year time skip.**

_ Tsunade sat in her office, an empty sake mug near her right hand and three stacks of paperwork near her left. An irritated expression was painted on her face as she stared at the person opposite, and with each tick of the clock her annoyance only seemed to grow. The silence surrounding her was almost oppressive, and her guest had already begun to sweat nervously. Finally the Hokage let out a great sigh, and fixed the other woman with an evaluating gaze._

_ McGonagall straightened in her seat, having been anxious for the entirety of her visit. The woman she had met scarcely an hour ago was supposed to be the leader of the entire village, and to tell the truth, the witch was feeling very intimidated. But she wasn't about to leave with her tail between her legs. She had promised Albus her success, and she wasn't going to let down the man she respected, regardless of her exasperation as of late._

_ "How long will he be needed?" Tsunade's question held an air of reluctance to it, but McGonagall was unperturbed._

_ "We will have to employ him for a year at the least." She answered promptly. "I'm not sure if Albus will need him for any longer, but normally a few candidates for the position can be found every year. This year was abnormal in that respect."_

_ "Hm…" Tsunade still looked irritated, but less so than before. "…and Shizune briefed you on the payment rates?"_

_ McGonagall's mind briefly flashed to a thin dark haired woman with a piglet before she responded. "Yes, and Albus agreed to it all. Shizune, was it? She was quite helpful." _

_ Nodding, Tsunade made a small motion with her hand, and McGonagall was startled when a masked individual appeared from seemingly nowhere. The ANBU ignored her in favour of his superior._

_ "Hokage-sama?" He asked without hesitation. Tsunade nodded once more._

_ "Hawk. Please go get Sarutobi Asuma for me." _

_ "I apologize, Hokage-sama, but Sarutobi-sama is currently out on a short scouting mission. He's expected to return sometime tomorrow morning." Tsunade sighed again and moved a stack of paperwork away from the edge of the desk._

_ "In that case, please tell Shizune to prepare a room for McGonagall-san here, and tell me when Asuma returns tomorrow." The ANBU flickered away swiftly, leaving the two women in a somewhat awkward silence. Tsunade took a sip of water and looked at McGonagall again._

_ "I'll send Shizune to fetch you tomorrow, McGonagall-san. But I must tel you this," The Hokage placed her chin on one of her palms, giving the impression of relaxation. "Sarutobi Asuma is a trusted Shinobi in this village. I am not letting him take this mission out of any sort of feeling of goodwill."_

_McGonagall was momentarily offended, but Tsunade held up her other hand. "The reasons I am sending him are of a different sort. Firstly, is because of his relation to your people. This is something that cannot be forgotten, and he deserves to at least have the opportunity to see his origins. Luckily, despite numerous threats to the village, we are in a time of relative peace, so that is another consideration I made towards your case."_

"…_and finally, his students do need some time to grow, without him here. Hopefully this will give them that." McGonagall looked ready to say something, but that was the moment that Shizune entered the room, carrying Tonton in her arms._

_The discussion over, Tsunade stood and accompanied her guest to the door, waving as they disappeared down the stairs. When she reentered her office, she caught sight of the picture of her late Jonin instructor and predecessor, and went to sit on the couch just below it. As she stared up at Hiruzen's younger and more serious face, she let out her final sigh and dropped her head back onto the cushion._

"_I wonder if you knew this would happen when Asuma came to you, sensei." When no answer came, Tsunade only smiled and went back to her desk, hoping that if she finished her paperwork in time that Shizune might tolerate her having a drink later on._

Hopefully you liked this rewritten version, considering it used to be a half assed letter/drabble thing. I'll update soon, so keep watch.


	2. The Letter

An Honored Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

Anyone who's a Harry Potter fan should read the fic **The Secret Life of Percival Weasley.** It's a great _what if_ type of story that adds a new layer to some of the events in the books.

Chapter 1: **And so the letter arrives.**

It was at the breakfast table of number 12 Grimmauld Place that Sirius Black sat reading the Daily Prophet. The house was quiet and empty, the Weasley's out recovering the last of their possessions, the Order out on some mission Dumbledore had left in his will. Sirius was stuck here for the week, waiting on Remus and Tonks and it was here that he heard an insistent tapping noise.

At first he couldn't identify the sound, not having heard one similar to it in some time. Upon listening closer, the tapping grew louder and more rapid, until the sound of broken glass resounded through the old hallways. Alarmed, Sirius grabbed his wand and bolted out of the room towards the stairs, but before he had even ascended one flight, he was forced to stop by the appearance of a letter-carrying hawk.

"What the devil…?" Sirius momentarily paused in confusion at the sight before his eyes were drawn to the bird's leg, upon which was fastened a small scroll. Lowering his wand, Sirius slowly approached the messenger and untied the note, thereby allowing the bird to fly back out of the window it had broken. Obviously the hawk had been the source of the tapping, Sirius thought as he repaired the window.

Making his way back down to the kitchen, Sirius promptly tested the note for any harmful curses or the like, and when he found none; he placed it near his coffee cup for after breakfast. While eating, he idly wondered where his godson was, whether he was on a mission or on leave. Asuma hadn't kept in touch with regularity, but in the 2 years since he had left them, he had sent a handful of letters on his status, always accompanied by one of his village's messenger pigeons.

Eying the note the hawk had brought, Sirius placed his sandwich back down and reached out to open it. Unfurling the scroll, the first thing that Sirius saw, was the official looking seal at the head of the letter. The hand written words following the seal left his eyes wide and caused the letter to fall from his hands.

Sirius sat for a minute in silence. He put his head in his hands and shuddered, a few tears leaking out of his tightly closed eyes and falling onto the tabletop. The letter lay forgotten, but the words he had read would never be. How had it gone like this? Only a few years ago he was just getting to know his godson again, all grown up and after so many years apart, and now…?

It was in this position that Remus found him some hours later, not having moved an inch or made a sound. Sirius didn't even try to stop his friend from reading the note, but he did react at the chocked sound Remus let out a minute later.

_To a Mr. Black, Sirius,_

_It is with sincere condolences that I must inform you…_


	3. Asuma

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

Thanks to all of you guys for the response. I've never gotten so many in a row before. :) To be honest, I'm really not satisfied with my other fics anymore as they were written so long ago, so while this is the only one I'll be rewriting, I'll definitely be uploading new ones once this one is done.

Chapter 2: **Asuma appears?**

_ When Asuma returned from his scouting mission, the only thing on his mind was a cup of coffee and maybe a visit with Kurenai. It had been a short but tiring assignment, and while Asuma could stay awake far longer than this, that didn't mean that he __**enjoyed**__ it. Therefore when he entered his apartment to find a member of the ANBU and not the coffee he sought, an exasperated groan almost escaped him without his permission._

_ "Sarutobi-sama. Hokage-sama has sent me to retrieve you." Asuma shrugged noncommittally. ANBU never changed, did they, always blunt and to the point. Pausing only briefly to set down his mission pack and cloak, Asuma motioned for the other shinobi to lead the way._

_ The journey along the rooftops to the Hokage tower was an entirely silent one. The ANBU not needing to explain and Asuma not needing to ask. As they passed by the Hokage monument, Asuma allowed himself a smile at the image of his father looking over the village. Even at it's busy times, coming home to Konoha was still better than any vacation time he could have taken in another country._

_line_

_ Minerva awoke sometime after dawn, having not had the best sleep the night before. She lay in bed for almost five minutes trying to ascertain where she was, before her brain caught up with her and abated her confusion. Quickly dressing herself, Minerva gave her robes one look and transfigured them into a long skirt and dress shirt. While it was obvious that the shinobi were as far from muggles as the average wizard, it wouldn't do to stand out too much if she was to stay longer than she had planned. People here tended to dress closer to muggles anyhow._

_ Minerva surveyed the room she had been given the day before. It was about the size of her office at Hogwarts, with white walls and a single futon in the corner. There was a small table and a kitchen area taking up the opposite corner, and while the third contained two doors, one to the complex's hallway and another to her bathroom, the fourth corner held a small bookcase. _

_ Until someone came to bring her back to the Hokage, Minerva had nothing else to occupy her time, barring whatever she could transfigure. So for the time being, Minerva read a few of the books sitting there. __**A brief history of Konoha**__, __**Medical ninjutsu**__ and halfway through __**tales of a gutsy ninja**__ was how far she got before Shizue knocked on the door._

_ "McGonagall-san, good morning." The young woman greeted immediately. Minerva idly noticed that she didn't have the piglet with her today, but chose not to comment. "I've been sent to bring you to Tsunade-sama, but I suppose we should grab breakfast first… unless you've already eaten?"_

_ Despite herself, Minerva found the other woman's familiarity endearing. "Miss Shizune, while I appreciate the offer, I feel that I can endure the coming meeting without anything. Though, perhaps afterwards you might direct me towards a place?"_

_ This at least, seemed acceptable to Shizune, who Minerva was only just beginning to realize was also a shinobi, the same as the Hokage, though of different skill level. Minerva had to wonder just how prevalent these shinobi were, if they ran the governing system, comprised the entirety of the military, and even ran schools focused on their teachings. As she watched children run past with toy shuriken and masks, Minerva wondered what on Earth Lily and James' child had turned out like._

_line_

_ Asuma stood in Tsunade's office, outwardly relaxed but inwardly conflicted. It wasn't a secret that he had been adopted as a toddler by the Third. He had known since he had entered the academy and it was the entire reason why he and his brother never squabbled over succession of the Sarutobi. The entire village knew, by that logic, and Asuma had long since come to accept that he may never find out anything about his biological family._

_ But truthfully, to have this suddenly dropped on him this late in his life (for a shinobi at least) was a little overwhelming. When he had been on his way here, Asuma had had no idea of what to expect, and now he sorely missed that feeling. Tsunade had explained the mission details that the McGonagall woman had laid out, and the mission itself was what he had no objections about. He agreed with his leader about his students needing some time to grow on their own, and thought this was a good way to bring that about._

_ But did he want to leave his home, friends, family, __**lover**__ even, for a different family he had never met, having to adjust to a new culture, having to make such a commitment for seemingly such little reward?_

_ Asuma's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Shizune opening the door to the office._

_ "I've brought McGonagall-san, Tsunade-sama." Tsunade motioned her subordinate inside, and Asuma turned to inspect the newcomer._

_ A woman older than him, perhaps in her mid to late 50s, stood near the door to the room. She was tall and thin, with black hair pulled into a tight bun and a pair of oval spectacles perched on her thin, straight nose. She wore a plain black skirt and emerald green shirt, and exuded an air of sternness. Asuma immediately decided to stay on her good side for the time being._

_line_

_ Shizune had Minerva wait at the low table in the middle of the room while she delivered a few things to the Hokage. Feeling remarkably relaxed despite the knowledge that she was in the presence of at least two trained assassins, Minerva took this opportunity to observe the only man in the room._

_ He was as tall as she was but twice as broad, built perhaps for hand to hand fighting instead of the speed that was more common with the aurors she knew. He had a handsome face, a full beard and short hair that looked to be very coarse, and was a very dark black. He was wearing the army green vest, forehead protector and black pants that Minerva had seen to be the uniform of many Konoha shinobi, and was smoking a cigarette. Slightly average, her mind supplied a phrase to accompany the man's appearance, and it was only then that Minerva thought to wonder who he was._

_ "Alright, let's start now." Tsunade said from her desk, as she stood and made to sit at the couch. Minerva sat as well, opposite the Hokage and diagonal to the man, who simply leaned on the extra lounge chair._

_line_

Not the best ending, but what can you do.

It's strange that even though I tend to read stories with bashing of HP, I don't really care to write it. Maybe I'm just maturing, but I kind of find it silly to make fun of one story for its faults when all stories have faults. Oh well, I hope you like this chapter.


	4. The Past

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

The story structure of this fic is going to be _italicized_ flashbacks that are explaining what happened before Asuma's death, and normal font for the "present time" where we'll be following the aftermath. There will be more flashback chapters than present time chapters due to the disproportionate length of the stories needing to be told.

Long chapter ahead!

Chapter 3: **An encounter of the past.**

_ The air in the office after Shizune took her leave was mostly relaxed if a bit uncertain. All three took a minute to observe the others, until finally Tsunade took a breath and turned to Asuma, at the same time gesturing to McGonagall. _

_ "This is the client who requested you, McGonagall Minerva." Turning back to McGonagall, she addressed her as well. "And this is Sarutobi Asuma, the one who you say comes from your society. I have already briefed him on the mission details, now it is only a question of whether or not he accepts. As a jonin he has that right..." Tsunade would have said more, but the sour look on her client's face made her stop._

_ "I'm afraid I do not subscribe to the same sense of humour that you do, Lady Hokage." Tsunade's brow furrowed at the anger that McGonagall was clearly restraining. "This man cannot possibly be Harry; the boy should only be 16 years old at the most! Not in his thirties!"_

_ Asuma grinned amusedly at the statement, even if he was cautious of the older woman's temper. He certainly wasn't Shikamaru's age; that he was sure of, though it would be interesting to be so young again. That being said, he wasn't offended that she had overestimated his age, he admitted that he could look older than 28. The foreign woman still looked ready to kill, so he stood straight and stepped into the line of fire._

_ "Now, now, no need to yell, I'm sure there's an explanation." Tsunade nodded once as if she had said the same, and McGonagall reluctantly sat back down, still slightly fuming over the percieved deception. "Now, McGonagall-san was it? How did you come to the conclusion that this Harry Potter was using my name?"_

_ "We used a… family revealing spell." Asuma noted the pause. "It is normally used in instances where the parentage of a child has come into question*, but it also worked well for this situation. It showed that the missing child of our members was now called Asuma Sarutobi."_

_Tsunade held up a hand. "I'm sure there is some way to resolve this. Perhaps, McGonagall-san, you could use another spell?"_

_"Well, yes, I suppose I should." McGonagall conceded, and with a quick movement her wand was in her hands. Now that this was brought up, she felt a little silly for not thinking of confirming Harry's identity beforehand. Berating herself for her rudeness, she cast the point me spell using Harry's full name, and when it pointed to Asuma, she found herself feeling the need to sigh. How complicated could this get? _

_ "Well, now that that's settled." Tsunade spoke in a clipped and professional tone, exasperated by the direction this meeting was taking. "We can actually get to the crux of this gathering. Asuma, are you going to take this mission?"_

_ Asuma took a moment to consider his options, and cast a sideways glance at the client, still silent due to the shock of finding the 16 year old she had expected was actually almost 30. He had his reservations about being gone for a year, but the pros outweighed the cons, and so he inclined his head to his superior._

_ "Yes, I will."_

_ "Alright then." Tsunade stood and swept back to her desk, dropping lightly into her chair and reaching for a blank set of documents. "Asuma, you'll leave the day after tomorrow at eleven hundred hours. This mission is classified as S-rank due to it's length and location. You are not to tell anyone __**where**__ you are going, and will be checked in on every two months so no one can claim you've become a missing-nin. I'll have your paperwork done tonight so report back at eighteen hundred hours for further details." Nodding, Asuma was about to take his leave when Tsunade added to her statement. "Also, please escort McGonagall-san back to her quarters."_

_-line-_

_ As the witch and the shinobi made their way away from the Hokage tower, Minerva subtly observed the man next to her. Now that it had been confirmed that he was Harry, she had to revise her initial impression of him. Now that she looked close enough, she could see the little resemblances to James in his face, hidden by the facial hair that James had never possessed. The green eyes he'd had as a baby had darkened considerably, but his eye shape was the same as Lily's had been. Neither of his parents had been built like this, tall and broad, and she had to wonder if it was a product of his environment or maybe something he'd inherited from somewhere else._

_One thing she could see though, was that the man did not act like James, as she had always thought he would. Indeed, he seemed to favour Lily more, with his diplomatic approach to the situation and his easy familiarity. As a baby, he'd been a right terror at times, but seeing him like this so suddenly was just so jarring. It appeared that her labelling of him as 'average' may not have been entirely accurate._

_The growling of her stomach interrupted her inner monologue and made her cheeks redden in embarrassment._

_ "Care to accompany me to lunch, McGonagall-san?" Asuma asked nonchalantly, and indulgent expression on his face.. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to hear more about where I'll be going for a year as well."_

_Trying to hide her shame, Minerva remained straight faced, with only a slight waver to her voice. "That sounds reasonable. Lead the way."_

_ It took them relatively little time to reach Yakiniku Q, the one restaurant that Asuma frequented enough that he felt comfortable bringing a client to. They found a booth in the back where no one would overhear their discussion, and Asuma briefly explained the menu to Minerva before they both began._

_ "So, where exactly am I to be stationed?" Asuma asked, taking a sip of his tea. "Tsunade-sama explained as much as she could, but I'd like to hear it from you as well. Also, are my duties only teaching or will there be combat situations?"_

_ Minerva was unsure now of what she should think of this man, who previously she had been likening to Lily. It was clear now with Asuma's professional air and his being a shinobi that he had turned out as different as he could have, and that he may not be like his parents at all. Lily was far fiercer than Asuma, with his calm, cool headed demeanor, and James was more... reckless, unpredictable, as opposed to Asuma's obvious collectedness. As a shinobi, he had probably killed many people in the name of his village, and this made Minerva apprehensive, even as he acted perfectly rational with her. Deciding to ponder this later, Minerva instead focused on Asuma's queries._

_ The rest of Asuma's questions about the mission went as well as they could, considering the now somewhat awkward air to the conversation. Minerva in turn asked a little about his life in the village, and it was nearing the end of their meal when Asuma brought up what he had wanted to for the last hour._

_ "McGonagall-san, could you tell me about my relatives in your society?"_

_ Not expecting the question, Minerva took a minute to answer, and it was with a heavy heart that she realized what she had to tell him._

_ "Well, Mr. Sarutobi, I… that is to say, you… I'm sorry-" She almost couldn't bring herself to say it, when Asuma cut her off._

_ "They're dead then, I suppose?"_

_ Asuma only had to see the look on Minerva's face to know that he had hit the mark. Sighing, he took a long drink of his now cold tea, a contemplative look crossing his face._

_ "It's alright, all this time I've suspected as much, so I never really became attached to the idea. I am sorry that it happened, though." Asuma smiled at the startled woman. "You did mention a godfather…?"_

_ Minerva blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change of subject. She had been expecting more of a reaction at this revelation, but given his history... "Ah, yes, him." Asuma raised an eyebrow at her tone. "His name is Sirius Black, and he was a close friend of your father and mother in their school years. He can tell you more about them than I can. He's… well, he's an ex-convict, though he never did actually kill anyone-" Asuma's other eyebrow joined the first. "-and it's his home that is the base for the order. You'll also be staying there for a week before the school term."_

_ Asuma could think of nothing to say to that, so with a practiced ease he fished his wallet out and paid for their meal, ignoring Minerva's protest. The rest of their walk to Minerva's quarters was in silence, Asuma thinking about his goodbyes and Minerva dwelling on how much Harry had changed. Once Asuma had dropped her off, he jumped onto the roof and made his way back to his apartment._

_ It was going to be an ordeal explaining his upcoming absence to Kurenai._

_-line-_

*The magic version of a DNA test, for simplicity's sake

Not entirely satisfied with this chapter, but I feel the length makes up for it in some way. Hope you guys can enjoy it too.

Feel free to send any ideas you have for this fic, I'll consider anything!


	5. Reality

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

Feel free to critique my work! I heard a quote the other day, "A review which says only 'it's good' or 'it's bad' is the same as no review at all. Even if a review is a flame, it at least offers something to go on."

I found it interesting, so I thought I'd post it here. Do you guys prefer a simple review on your stories or do you like suggestions?

Chapter 4: **Reality.**

Sirius did not leave the house after Remus found him, nor would he allow Remus or Tonks to leave either. He feared he might do something horrible if he were left alone, and Remus did not begrudge him this day of weariness. Sirius sat in the 2nd floor living room, the letter in front of him on the coffee table (along with a few pictures of the young Potter family) and Remus beside him. Tonks had situated herself across from them, her hair now a limp black and her hands folded in her lap.

The room was silent save for the crackling of the fire.

"I… only just got to know him…" Sirius whispered, staring at the letter mere feet away. Remus's grimace deepened and he looked to the side, away from his friend and the letter. They had both been told of the dangers that Asuma faced in his occupation, and subconsciously they had equated it to what an auror had to go through, but even despite that… it was a terrible, terrible wake up.

…_Sarutobi Asuma, aged 31, was killed while on a mission outside the village on the 2__nd__ of…_

"…now I'll never get another chance." Remus finished his friend's sentence, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. Tonks sniffed minutely from her chair, and the silence enveloped them for another spell.

"Dammit." Sirius said, a few more tears leaking from his scrunched eyes and dripping down onto his shaking fists. "God dammit." Remus laid his hand on the other man's shoulder, not entirely sure if there was anything left to say.

-line-

It was the next day that Sirius decided he wanted to tell the order. Both Tonks and Remus vehemently opposed, not thinking that he was ready, but the ex-con was stubborn. Despite his feelings on the matter, he was a grown man, and he had to be able to hold his grief in times like these. So with help from Tonks and a few of her contacts, Remus called all the people he thought should know back to base, and when they all arrived on the following day, he sent them into the dining room.

There were around 10 people sitting or standing around the table, all of them the ones who had interacted with Asuma the most during his stay. Molly and Arthur were there along with Fred and George, the latter of the two still nursing his recently lost ear. Mad-eye had shown up, still having trouble walking from his injuries, and with him was Kingsley Shacklebolt. Minerva McGonagall and Rubeus Hagrid had come, and had picked up Neville Longbottom from his hiding place. As Remus surveyed the small group, the thought occurred to him that these people were what Asuma's time here amounted to. Four Weasley's, three aurors, two teachers, his parents two friends, and one Hogwarts student.

He decided not to mention the fact that he would be informing the Dursleys personally later on in the week.

After a few seconds, Sirius came in, carrying the letter in his right hand and writing implements in his left. The group's eyes immediately went to him, and he had it in him to look momentarily amused before dropping both his gaze and the small smile that had appeared. Remus mourned the loss of his friend's humor, yet another thing that a war had taken from them.

"Do tell us what's wrong, Sirius." Molly urged gently, gripping her husband's arm tightly, trying not to let on her worry.

"Aye, just because there's no spells flying don't mean the order's not needed." Mad-eye said a little stiffly, his fake eye whirring all around them, easily displaying his well-known paranoia. Sirius swallowed noisily, blinking rapidly but not betraying his thoughts to the others. Instead, he set down all that he was holding and looked away.

"Asuma has died."

The effect was immediate; Molly, Minerva and Hagrid all gave gasps of varying intensities, and Neville choked on his tea. Mad-eye closed his good eye, while Kingsley and Arthur both stood stoically. Fred and George both gave an odd sort of smile-grimace. Sirius continued on:

"It doesn't give much detail, unfortunately. '_Sarutobi was killed in the line of duty while tracking an S-ranked missing-nin… The missing-nin has since been dispatched… During war times, many individual funerals are put on hold in order to ensure the safety of visitors…' _The letter was an offer of condolences and an invitation to his funeral. It says he died on the 2nd of last month, and that the funeral is going to be in 10 days." Sirius's tired eyes swept the room. "I'm going, anyone else who wants to is welcome."

Silence reigned, but Mad-eye quickly responded. "I can't. I liked the man, but I have too many responsibilities right now. I didn't know him very well anyways." Arthur and Kingsley reluctantly nodded their agreement. Molly looked to be torn, so Remus stepped in.

"Molly, I'm sure Asuma wouldn't mind if you stayed. It's a long journey-" But Molly cut him off.

"No, that buy must have left more than us behind… I-" She stopped a moment. "I'll be worried about the kids… but Asuma did so much for us. I want to say goodbye."

It was after that that Neville, Fred and George expressed their desire to go as well. Hagrid initially felt he would attract too much attention, but Tonks reminded him of the Akimichi clan Asuma had told them about, and so he tearfully decided to go. Minerva looked entirely devastated when she refused.

"I'm sorry. But after Albus… It's just too…" She trailed off, unable to finish, but she didn't have to. Everyone understood all too well.

-line-

Phew… well, I'm tired, so goodnight!


	6. Sirius and Asuma

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

Guys, I am literally moved to tears by the response to this story. It's the most I've ever gotten before. To tell the truth, I don't even enjoy reading Naruto week to week anymore; this story's momentum is based purely on my appreciation of you guys. It might be silly, but I hope this feeling can stay with me even after I finish this story. Thank you.

Chapter 5: **Sirius and Asuma.**

_Asuma met Minerva right on schedule at the northern gates of Konoha, the only thing with him his long mission pack and storage scroll. The extended briefing that he had been apart of the day before was still fresh in his mind, along with all the knowledge of the land he was headed to. He had almost wanted to copy Kakashi and be late for this meeting, if only so he could spend a little more time with Kurenai and his students, but that wasn't the kind of man he was. Minerva was mildly surprised that no one accompanied Asuma to the gates, but rationalized by reminding herself that this was a different, more private culture*, and that this was most likely not something to be pondered._

_ As Asuma approached the older woman, he briefly paused to acknowledge Raidou and Genma who sat at the gate's desk. Their gazes flickered to her before relaxing, waving him by with a relaxed air mixed with amusement._

_ "Ready to leave, McGonagall-san?" Asuma asked, absentmindedly lighting one of his (many) cigarettes. Minerva wrinkled her nose slightly in distaste, but did not comment._

_ "Indeed. If you would grab hold of this, we can do just that." Asuma looked down at the old notebook held out to him, and placed his hand on it swiftly, causing Minerva to nod approvingly, thinking of the wait that usually accompanied a person unfamiliar with portkeys._

_ With a bright flash of blue light, the witch and the ninja were snatched away from Konoha by some invisible force, leaving behind a startled pair of chunin in their wake._

_ It was with another flash of blue light that the pair reappeared in a large field, both standing upright but one left gasping. Asuma swayed momentarily before regaining his equilibrium and his breath, not having expected such a… wild ride. Minerva looked at him amusedly, before pocketing the book and gesturing for Asuma to follow as she began to walk towards a tall and haphazard looking house several hundred feet away._

_ "This is the Burrow, the home of the Weasley family." Minerva explained as they walked, an unreadable expression painted on her face. "Due to security reasons, we first transported here so as not to draw attention to ourselves." Asuma nodded, understanding well the need for strategic planning. "As well, I have something to discuss with their patriarch, and this is as good a time as any."_

_ Asuma observed their surroundings in lieu of answering. While he was doing this, Minerva cast a nonverbal translation spell on the man, so he would be able to understand anything said to him, not just by her._

_ They came upon the door soon enough, Asuma none the wiser of the spell that had been put upon him, and Minerva knocked in an odd manner; probably a code, Asuma noted idly. A young woman almost immediately answered the door; she was perhaps 14 or 15, with bright red hair, freckled skin and dressed in a flowing robe type garment. She looked confused at their presence, but recovered quickly._

_ "Professor McGonagall! Do you need Mum or Dad for something?" Minerva nodded a bit stiffly._

_ "If you could fetch your father, that would be appreciated, Miss Weasley." 'Miss Weasley' nodded and flitted back into the house, leaving Minerva and Asuma standing on the doorstep. Minerva turned slightly in Asuma's direction. "The youngest of seven children, she is. We have four Weasley's at Hogwarts this year, you can usually recognize them by their hair."_

_ "Minerva! How are you?" Another redhead appeared, this one male and middle aged, also wearing the same type of garment as the previous. Asuma raised an eyebrow at the odd thing, before focusing back on the magicals as he was ushered into the house. "-xpecting you, could have had some tea on or something." Minerva waived the apologies._

_ "It's alright, Arthur, I'll not be long. Firstly, though, this is the new DADA professor, Asuma Sarutobi. Mr. Sarutobi, this is Arthur Weasley, head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office and member of the Order." Asuma tilted his head, silently wondering what in Fire country the man's title meant. Arthur assessed the shinobi in front of him, and then returned his attention to the teacher. Asuma shifted to lean on the wall, pocketing his now useless cigarette butt and resolved to having to wait until the two were done discussing whatever an 'Umbridge' was._

_-line-_

_ With an audible popping noise, the odd pair now appeared on a dimly lit street in London, in front of a long row of dreary looking houses, Asuma lurching more than with the portkey. Minerva reached into her pocket and withdrew a note, which she had Asuma read once he had recovered. Upon setting it on fire, a new house slid into being in between the others, making Asuma's eyes widen in surprise, even as he mentally equated it to Kurenai's genjutsu. Asuma was unnerved upon actually entering the dark house, but that feeling was banished when he was greeted by his host and godfather._

_ The older man was practically a skeleton, despite Minerva's mentioning of him having been free for two years. He was in the same type of clothing as the Weasley's albeit more ratty, and was slightly shorter than Asuma was. His black hair hung limp down to his shoulders, and his grey eyes were hidden in slightly sunken eyesockets. Unusual for Asuma, who had seen torture victims first hand in the past, this man was still lively and youthful. It was an odd sight to bear witness to, even as a shinobi. The three situated themselves in the upstairs living room, and then it was on Minerva to breach the subject of Asuma's identity._

_ "Sirius, Mr. Sarutobi is, well, not exactly who you think he is." She started off gently, wanting Sirius to know before the order meeting tomorrow but at the same time being fairly uncomfortable at the possible scenarios that lay ahead. Sirius looked confused before realization dawned._

_ "Finally turning me in, Minerva? Ah, I knew this day would come." Asuma grinned crookedly and glanced at Minerva's dumbfounded expression. "No need for a restraining spell, Sir Auror, I can walk myself down to the Ministry." Sirius cracked open an eye and grinned. "C'mon Minerva, just tell me who he is, you know I get cabin fever." Shaking her head, Minerva smirked back at her former student._

_ "Alright, suit youself." Sirius eyed Asuma expectantly, so the shinobi decided to answer for the witch, a teasing lilt to his voice akin to how he used to talk to Konohamaru sometimes._

_ "Ah, my real name's Harry Potter. Nice to meet you, please treat me well during my stay." Minerva gave a small laugh at Sirius's expression, and Asuma looked to her. "Think I broke him?"_

_-line-_

*Minerva is under the impression that Konoha is very similar to the highly conservative Japan.

I understand that Asuma is acting remarkably chummy to these starngers/clients, but come on, allowances should be made since it's not exactly normal mission parameters. ;)


	7. Explanations?

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

I've received a request to make the chapters longer, and I want to thank them for their suggestion. Unfortunately, I don't get the computer very often even though it may seem as if I update all the time. So I usually do these chapters in 1-2 hours without getting up. Though my goal is always to make them as long as possible, my time frame doesn't always allow it. I'll try today though, just for you **Xx-Yaoi-Ninja-xX**!

Chapter 6: **There will be no explanations?**

_ Sirius sat there for a long minute, his jaw hanging in astonishment and his confused eyes focused on the grown man sitting across from him. Minerva was watching in amusement, glad that her former student wasn't going into some sort of rage… yet. Asuma merely waited for the man to come back to himself, fingers deftly lighting a cigarette. He figured it was acceptable due to the half full ashtray on the coffee table. The small flame created by his lighter seemed to have been the catalyst for something, because as soon as the device had been put back into his pocket, Sirius pointed an accusing finger straight between his eyes._

_ "This can't be Harry! He's a damn liar!" Asuma stayed calm even as the harsh words were directed to McGonagall. "Minerva, what the hell has he done to make you go along with this?!" Minerva gained an exasperated expression._

_ "Sirius…" But the longhaired man cut her off, eyes whipping back to Asuma, who he was still pointing at._

_ "It was Imperius wasn't it? Obviously you're some sort of Death Eater!" Asuma glanced at his guide to see that she had begun to rub her temples. "Release her this instant! I may not have a wand but that doesn't mean a thing in my own house!" Sirius looked ready to punch Asuma in the face, but Minerva spoke up on his behalf._

_ "Sirius, it's no Imperius, this is just how it is. I even triple checked with a 'point me' just in case." Sirius sputtered that he still couldn't trust her word, and so Asuma grinned at him._

_ "Is there a reason I can't be Harry Potter?" Sirius went red._

_ "Harry should be 15!"_

_ "Anything else?" Asuma shot back. "According to McGonagall-san, I have Lily's eye shape, if a darker colour, as well as James's hair colour, nose and eyebrows. Harry Potter disappeared from his home on October 31__st__, and my father told me that I was on his doorstep the morning of November 1__st__, though admittedly, my birthdate is listed as October 18__th__." Sirius was struggling for a come back, so Asuma continued. "McGonagall-san performed some sort of family tree spell before coming to Konoha, and then the point me spell right in front of my village's leader, who also ordered a DNA test done*. Everything points to the conclusion that, as impossible as it may be, I am in fact a 28 year old Harry Potter."_

_ Sirius deflated, sinking back into his seat cushion as if it was the only thing holding him up. He looked from Asuma to Minerva a few times before offering a weak rebuttal._

_ "Veritaserum?"_

_-line-_

_ Half a drop of Veritaserum later, Sirius had asked Asuma 3 questions; one was about his trustworthiness, whereas the other two had been about his parentage and his loyalties (Sarutobi Hiruzen and Biwako and to the Hokage and Konohagakure, respectively). Sirius put away the small vial of potion fairly slowly, having now been faced with his own proof that this man (a mere 6 years his junior) was in fact his godson. Once Minerva had been assured that Sirius wouldn't be attacking Asuma, she had bade them farewell and good luck, and had left the two men to their own devises, promising to be there the next day with the rest of the order._

_ And this is where they were now. Sirius was coming back from his potions cabinet, still shaken, and Asuma was well into his second cigarette of the evening. As his godfather approached the table, Asuma offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. Sirius smiled back weakly, but veered to another cabinet and produced a bottle of alcohol, placing it on the table along with two tumblers. _

_ "Feel like chatting, do you?" Asuma asked, extinguishing the now useless cigarette butt in the nearby ashtray. He briefly wondered who smoked in the house, as there wasn't any lingering smell or even another person. Sirius nodded in agreement and poured them both a starter. To tell the truth, he would rather have Remus here, he was just as much invested in this as Sirius, but the other would be here tomorrow, and a selfish part of the ex-con couldn't help but want this time alone with the man his godson had become. Remus would forgive him._

_ "Indeed, we're practically related anyhow, we might as well get to know each other." Asuma tilted his head and took a small sip of the amber liquid, pleased with the taste and the low alcohol content. He technically wasn't supposed to be drinking on a mission, but he was going to be here a long time, at the very least he could allow himself one drink with… well, with family._

_ "Ask whatever you want. I can't reveal classified information, but anything else is fair game. Then I'll ask a few." Sirius could understand this, so he leaned forward and began._

_ "What is your job, exactly? All Dumbledore would say was that you were part of some organization."_

_ "I'm a shinobi, or a ninja. My village has a large military force made up of shinobi, and I'm one of the higher ranks, a jonin. Shinobi are hired out for various jobs and missions, which is why I'm here now. We also have to be able to fight in a wide range of ways, though a lot of shinobi nowadays specialize." Sirius looked interested._

_ "How do you fight? You made it sound like you don't 'specialize'." Asuma laughed and took one of his chakra blades out of his pocket, showing it to Sirius briefly before putting it back. He decide to not mention his jutsu just yet, you never knew when an ace was needed._

_ "Nah, I specialize just as much as any other shinobi, though maybe not as much." He thought of Hayate's sword arts and how the sickly man barely knew any jutsu other than the standard ones. " This is a chakra blade. I channel my chakra into it to make it sharper, and so I can induce chakra poisoning if I want." Seeing Sirius's confused look, Asuma explained chakra to him, which derailed the questioning for a bit when Sirius had to explain magic and they started comparing the two. _

_ Sirius then asked about Konoha. "Oh, Konoha's great." Asuma said, wanting to brag a bit but unsure of how to go about it. "It's really the only place I feel comfortable, and growing up there was more than I could have asked for." Had he been found in 'the bloody mist' Kirigakure… "It's located in Fire country, and is one of the stronger hidden vilages. We have an alliance with Suna, and that helped usher in the peace we're seeing right now." Asuma continued in this vein for a few minutes, with Sirius asking him to elaborate every so often, which eventually lead to Asuma talking about his family._

_ "My old man was the 3__rd__ Hokage, the village leader. He died last year, but I still think he's watching over Konoha, the workaholic." Sirius could tell that there were some things being left out, but didn't pry, much to Asuma's gratitude. "My mother, Biwako, died when I was 13, but she was a good mother, if a bit harsh at times. I also have a younger brother, Suujin, and a nephew, Konohamaru. I have a lot of cousins in the Sarutobi clan, but I'm not really close with any of them."_

_ "Really, you're from a clan?" Sirius asked, visibly startled. Asuma quirked an eyebrow and Sirius looked away. "Ah, the Blacks used to be a noble family, so are a lot of wizarding families, and we didn't really get along." _

_ "The Sarutobi are my family, and while they may not be perfect, they're good people." Asuma stated with an air of finality. "I never really connected with any of my cousins during my younger years because of the war, and bonds are hard to start once a war's done it's damage. But I talk sometimes with Kunio and Sumita, so it isn't like I'm a shut in. Oh, I also have three genin."_

_ "Genin?" Asuma smiled._

_ "Graduated academy students in three man teams, underneath a jonin instructor. Mine were Shikamaru, Ino and Choji, and I probably shouldn't call them genin anymore. All three are chunin now. They're good kids, if a bit unmotivated sometimes." Sirius grinned suddenly._

_ "Speaking of kids?" Asuma didn't blush, but he did avert his eyes._

_ "No kids for me, that would've been mentioned. So, you said something about being a part of a noble family?"_

_ Sirius was a little put out at Asuma's blatant redirect, but he'd find out sooner or later. So, figuring he'd asked enough questions tonight, he refilled his own glass, leaving Asuma's empty at his request, and passed the conversation's reins to the other. Asuma mostly asked about the societal structure of the wizarding world, the war they were having right now, more about Hogwarts and Sirius's own experiences there, and even a bit about his parents, before asking if Sirius could show him to his sleeping quarters._

_ "Just to warn you, tomorrow's the day to sleep in, cause after tomorrow you'll never get a chance. The order'll be here after lunch, along with the Weasley's, they'll be staying until the end of the summer." Asuma acknowledged the man's words, and as soon as the door was closed and a few safety checks were done, Asuma was out like a light._

_-line-_

Whew, the longest chapter yet! Hope it was good!

*Minerva could summon something of Lily or James's or something, don't dwell on it too much :)

Next up, Asuma meets the order, and encounters more doubt about his identity.


	8. Meeting

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

Now that it's March break, I'll have until Friday to get out chapters, so I'm going to attempt to do one every day until then. Or does anyone want me to try doing a new story at the same time as this one? I already have a few ideas, so if not this week, then I might do it soon, but I'm still unsure.

Also, I just read an amazing fic; **Fairy Tail** by Araceil. I highly, highly recommend it as an example of a near perfect fan story (at least in my opinion), and it is what I hope to achieve one day.

Chapter 7: **The order meeting.**

_ Per Sirius's advice, Asuma did end up sleeping an hour longer than he usually did, wanting to be both well rested for the upcoming meeting and also wanting to ensure any alcohol in his system was gone. The drink last night had been nice, but he didn't want any lingering effects to be noticed, no matter how miniscule. When Asuma did awake, he studied his room a minute before making his way to the attached bathroom to start his regular routine._

_ Sirius greeted him in the hallway not 10 minutes later._

_ "Good sleep?" The older man asked amicably, leading Asuma down the stairs and into the kitchen. "You'll need it, I can tell you that much. With all the order here as well as Molly's kids, we'll be completely full. Too bad my old man never put in a meeting room…" Sirius looked momentarily frustrated, and then it was gone as he directed Asuma to the table. "Eggs good enough for you? I'd offer coffee as well but I can't really go out shopping, you know."_

_ Asuma did. "If you have tea or water, that would be just as good. Eggs are fine too, I'm used to rice in the morning, but I've gone without on missions before." Sirius nodded sagely as he started the stove up and grabbed the kettle; he wasn't as good as Molly but he could at least make this much. "If you don't mind me asking, why don't you go for an appeal so you can clear your name?"_

_ Sirius nearly dropped the egg he was holding at Asuma's interest, but he recovered fast. "Ah, well, the only witness is still presumed dead, damn rat…" Sirius threw out the egg shells with more force than was necessary, causing pieces to ricochet onto the floor. "Besides, what with the Ministry still denying You-Know-Who's return, they likely wouldn't even let anyone bring an appeal up."_

_ "They're desperate for public favour?" Asuma asked, having seen cases like this on missions in the past. Sirius grunted an affirmative and passed Asuma the tea pot and two cups, both of which the shinobi immediately filled. "Well, I have to say, I'm glad you're out of wherever you were being held. I've seen worse torture victims, but not many."_

_ Sirius stilled then, and Asuma cringed minutely. Though he was used to doing it with Shikamaru, Ino and Choji, there were times that he really wished he didn't have such a blunt personality. Maybe he had been wrong about the torture? Sighing, Asuma took a sip of his tea and mentally calmed himself, they were both adults, and it wasn't as if the man were going to sock him like Kurenai did on occasion. Thinking of Kurenai, Asuma barely noticed when Sirius slid into the chair opposite, placing a plate of scrambled eggs in front of him. He noticed the tired gaze Sirius leveled him with though._

_ "Sorry, Sirius." His godfather had insisted that he leave out any honorifics while addressing him. "Sometimes I assume things. I'm used to not having to censor my words." Sirius waved his apology away, still looking tired._

_ "No, you're pretty close. Might as well be called torture." Sirius paused to collect his thoughts. "I was in Azkaban prison for 12 years until I broke out 2 years ago. The guards there are creatures called Dementors, wraith like things that eat human happiness and cause depression and despair to anyone near them. It's not a nice place to be, and there are few I would wish it upon."_

_ The sound of the two men eating was all that was heard after that._

_-line-_

_ A few hours later, Sirius told Asuma to wait upstairs while he shuffled the order into the dining room, therefore leaving all questions about his presence until everyone was there. Sirius noticed Mad-Eye's magic eye kept an almost steady fix on the direction Asuma was in, but thankfully the old auror didn't say anything. Dumbledore and Minerva were the last two to arrive, directly after Remus, and Dumbledore was the one to call the group to attention once his deputy was situated._

_ "Hello everyone, thank you for coming on such short notice. I hope you weren't __**too**__ inconvenienced." Snape scoffed from his spot in a back corner, but otherwise there was no reaction. Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued on, an odd look in his eyes. "As I'm sure you're all aware, this meeting was called to introduce you to Harry Potter, whom we've managed to locate after so many years missing."_

_ A ripple of excited murmurs went through the assembled wizards, with a few exeptions; Sirius had to briefly hide his face for fear of bursting out laughing, and Minerva looked amused as well, though she hid it admirably. Dumbledore raised a hand and the room gradually became silent again. "Due to unforeseen… circumstances, we had to make some last minute changes to how we got him here."_

_ "Professor?" Tonks asked meekly._

_ "Well, we were already aware that he had a job that allowed him to be hired for various tasks, so initially we were going to hire Harry to come to Hogwarts and perhaps be an assistant teacher, him having gone so long without formal magical training. But when Minerva met with him…" Sirius chose that moment to let out a bark of laughter, making a few people jump. "…yes, well, why don't we just show you. Sirius, if you would?"_

_ The other man nodded vigorously, moving to the open door and calling out into the hall for Asuma to come on down*. Most of the wizards looked confused at the foreign name, and more that a few let out startled squawks as a lazy cyclone of wind and leaves appeared in front of them, depositing a strangely dressed man in the middle of the dining room. As the wind died off and the leaves fell to the floor, the bewildered wizards took a moment to study the newcomer._

_ The man was tall and broad, built of a lot of muscle and little else, and was probably in his early thirties. He was smoking a cigarette and standing very relaxed, surveying them in turn. He had coarse black hair and a dark beard, and on his forehead rested a metal headband with some sort of swirling design on it. His skin was very tanned and his eyes were a dark green, nearly matching the dark green vest that was covered in small pockets. He had on a plain black long sleeved shirt and pants, odd toeless boots, gloves, and a piece of fabric around his waist with a foreign symbol on it. All in all, he was an individual completely different from most of the wizard present, and caused them all to go on edge._

_ "Hey." Asuma greeted, the hand not in his pocket raised in a small wave. "I am Asuma Sarutobi, a jonin ranked shinobi of Konoha, assigned to be the Defense professor at Hogwarts this year. Inexplicably, I am also Harry Potter." And with that said, he turned and situated himself against the wall beside Sirius. _

_ And then the room exploded._

_ "Now, now, please calm down!" Dumbledore had to use his wand to amplify his voice in order to be heard over the torrent of shocked and angry voices of the order. It took a few more of his demands for the wizards to sit down, and even then the majority looked ready to go right back to yelling if given the chance. Asuma had to wonder if a Naruto-esque explosive temper was normal in wizarding society. Sirius laughed as if this was the funniest thing he had ever seen._

_ "I understand your confusion, but what Mr. Sarutobi has said is true." Minerva said primly, irritated at having her eardrums nearly blown out. "I myself cast both the family tree spell and the point me, while Sirius had Mr. Sarutobi drink a small amount of veritaserum. We don't know how, but he is Harry Potter." All eyes moved from the professor to the shinobi, who noticed and waved again._

_ Dumbledore spoke again, clearly also amused. "This is why Harry is not going to be an assistant teacher, but instead the DADA professor. We'd rather not have the only other option*. Harry here will also be attending order meetings, for safety's sake." When no one kicked up a fuss, the old wizard smiled brightly. "Alright, I'll leave you all to it. Minerva, we must head back to Hogwarts." Turning to the fireplace, Albus was mildly surprised to feel a hand on his shoulder. It was Asuma, and the order watched the exchange tensely._

_ "Dumbledore-san, you are my client, yes?" The old man nodded, and Asuma stepped back, bowing slightly. "It is good to meet you and I hope to work well with you, but I do have one immediate request."_

_ "What is it, my boy?"_

_ Asuma placed his hand back in his pocket at the familiar term, assuming Dumbledore was one of the clients with whom professionalism took a back seat to ease of communication. "I have noticed the reaction my…birth name…garners in these parts. I would very much appreciate it if you could not reveal such information to anyone else. As well, if you could refer to me as Asuma Sarutobi, I would be quite grateful. I grew up with that name for 27 years, you see."_

_ Dumbledore was visibly taken aback, but soon smiled again, the twinkle back in his eyes. "Of course, Mr. Sarutobi, those seem like reasonable requests, though forgive me if I slip with your name, I am quite old." Nodding, Asuma went back to Sirius, and once the two professors were gone, the shouting began again._

_ "Are you really Harry?"_

_ "Where did you come from?"_

_ "What do those symbols mean?"_

_ "Sirius, how come you didn't warn us?!"_

_ The last question caused some laughter, as well as Sirius yelling back that it was to get back at him for the prank last week. Asuma waited until Sirius had quieted everyone before answering a few of the questions._

_ "Yes, I'm Harry. My village leader performed her own tests and it checked out. I come from the village hidden in the leaves, Konohagakure no Sato, in Fire country. The symbol on my forehead is the symbol of my village, and the one on my hip is the character for fire, and it means that I'm one of the twelve shinobi guardsmen for the Fire Daimyo. Anything else?"_

_ Turns out most of the order were very curious people, and so Asuma sat at the big table, answering whatever questions he was able to. Molly Weasley started on dinner in the background, while the kids did last minute homework or chess. Asuma mentally noted that he should challenge the youngest male redhead to a shogi match… or maybe put it in his class curriculum. Another hour passed in which questions were flung around like kunai; what were his parents like, what was the village like, __**how**__ old was he when he graduated the academy again, what sort of missions had he gone on with his genin, what were the magic sights Asuma should see, how he was liking his stay. The conversation picked back up as Snape reluctantly asked about his genin._

"_Ino is the only girl, and lately she's been concentrating a lot more on her family's techniques, whereas before she was pretty much just a loud mouth fangirl. But she's a also good friend to the other two, they're a good team. Choji still eats a lot, but then again it's detrimental to his jutsu, so Ino doesn't care as much. Choji's quite kind, at first I wasn't sure whether or not he was suited to being a shinobi, but he can get the job done if he has to. Shikamaru was the first to become a chunin, when he was twelve. His shadow jutsu is getting quite versatile. He's quite smart, a genius really, but I never had a lazier genin. Of course, ever since he had to go on that retrieval mission with Choji, he's been a lot more dedicated. Part of the reason I took this job was so they could grow up a bit without me there. After all, I can't always be the one to take out the target, they all need to get used to it if they're going to-"_

_ "What?!" A sudden shriek caused the room to freeze as Molly Weasley left her pots and made a beeline for the table. Asuma momentarily thought she was going to slap him for something, but to his relief (and confusion) she just glared at him and put her hands on her hips._

_ "What did you say about __**taking out the target**__!?" The woman looked furious, much like Kurenai when she saw Hinata's injuries from Neji back during the chunin exams. _

_ "Ah, they are all chunin now, and so I won't always be there to back them up. Shikamaru has already taken on two or three low level assassinations with me, and if he wants to succeed his father-" There was no way he was going to mention what Shikaku __**did**__, but this much was fairly vague."-then he's going to have to get used to it. Choji has already had experience due to his involvement in that retrieval mission, and Ino's father has been training her personally ever since her promotion." Molly shook with her contained anger, but Asuma chose to wait for her to reply._

_ "How old are they?! You said one of your students was promoted at __**twelve**__?! How could children possibly be allowed to assassinate people?!" Molly's face was red and the entire room's attention was focused on them, a few others nodding in agreement. Asuma finally saw the problem; Molly had the mentality of a civilian who had only seen peace, odd given the current and previous war. The jonin decided to explain it now rather than facing more problems of this sort in the future._

_ "Weasley-san, as soon as a student graduates the academy, they are considered adults. My genin all graduated at 12, I myself graduated at 9, and a friend of mine, the youngest to graduate, did so at 5 years old." The woman in front of him sharply gasped, but he went on. "When children enter the academy, they know what they are being trained for. It can't wait either, or they won't be able to mold their chakra properly. Countless shinobi have lived and died for the village, one day I will too. If my students hadn't learned that early on they wouldn't have gotten far. It may seem crude, but this is the world we live in."_

_ Asuma looked at the stunned faces around him and sighed, inwardly cursing the figurative grave he had dug himself. He stood, making his way to the door, and then gave them one last statement._

_ "To protect your family, your village, that's what my father died for, that's what we'll all die for. Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go write my report to the Hokage." And so once again, Asuma left a group of stunned wizards in his wake, but this time he felt really quite old._

_-line-_

*let's just disregard Mrs. Black's portrait for comedy's sake, shall we?

*Dolores Umbridge, who Asuma was originally supposed to be the assistant to, or something

Wow, it kind of took on a life of it's own at the end, but I hope it's satisfactory.

Next: Remus Lupin!

After that: To Konoha?


	9. Remus Lupin

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

Someone mentioned that the story might flow better if it was done in chronological order, but I'm going to try that for my next story since I've already got the structure for this story going. Thanks for the input though!

Chapter 8: **Remus Lupin.**

_An hour later, Asuma had written his report to his standards (there was no way he'd survive turning them in like Kakashi did) and had set it aside so he could send it in with the messenger hawk that would arrive tomorrow. Removing his vest and all but his chakra blades, Asuma lit another cigarette and took a moment to reflect on his time spent here so far._

_ Thankfully, while the culture here was quite different from his home, the abilities of the many wizards he had seen were not something he couldn't comprehend. They really were like civilians, despite their magic; Asuma had only noticed three with any real combat training, and they were built for speed, not endurance. It was likely that with their abilities, they glossed over the physical aspects of their bodies and chose to focus on their reflexes and their mental capacities. Even though the shinobi didn't necessarily see the need, he still found himself subconsciously planning a way around their abilities, should such a situation ever arise._

_ Other than the magic, Asuma didn't particularly identify anything about his hosts as different than the average Konoha civilian. They cooked large meals and had big families; none of them were very fit, save for the black man, the pink haired woman and some of the teenagers. Most of them were relaxed with each other, and for a rebel movement Asuma thought it odd that they could be called in all at once so easily during a war. Then again, Asuma had only seen one war in his time, and maybe wizard warfare differed from what he was used to._

_ His thoughts drifted to Kurenai and his students. He wasn't worried about them, per say, but he did wonder if they were doing all right. Kurenai had been absolutely furious when he told her he was going on a yearlong mission; their relationship was still pretty new, especially for shinobi. Shikamaru hadn't reacted much beyond a few well wishes and a request for a farewell game of shogi, which Asuma had promptly lost. Ino had made a big deal out of it until Asuma agreed to send back some kind of souvenir, and Choji had looked worried about him for a minute before promising to treat him to Yakiniku Q upon his return._

_ Asuma's thoughts were interrupted by a timid sounding knock on the door. The shinobi sat up, simultaneously shoving his headband back into position and placing a wayward scroll over his mission report. He padded silently to the door and wrenched it open without and fanfare, a little surprised to see not his godfather, but a sickly brown haired man waiting for him._

_ "…Can I help you?" Asuma offered after a long pause. The man, roughly the same height as he was, jumped slightly before looking embarrassed._

_ "Yes, sorry to bother you- er, Sarutobi. Remus Lupin." The man, Remus, put his hand forward and Asuma shook it, uncomfortably aware of the other's nervousness. "I was… hoping we could have a chat? I don't know if Sirius mentioned me at all…"_

_ Asuma's mind flashed back to the night before, where the ex-con had indeed talked briefly about a good friend he wanted Asuma to meet, and his name. "Yeah, he did, a friend he wanted me to meet." Remus looked quite happy at this statement (if still on edge), so Asuma crushed his cigarette in the room's ashtray and gazed at Remus expectantly. "Where to?"_

_ Remus was flustered for a second, trying to remember the unfamiliar house's layout, but Asuma beat him to it and gestured for the other man to follow him down the hall. It was the same room he had talked with Sirius in the night before, and he had thought it would be an easy place to go to should he need it in the future, as he now did. He let Remus sit first; choosing to close the door rather than let anyone walk in on them, and then chose his own seat at an angle to the nervous man. Remus's behavior was more like what he had seen from overworked chunin, so he had an inkling about how to put him more at ease. Remus seemed to notice this, as he shot Asuma a grateful look before starting to speak._

_ "Sirius probably didn't tell you much about who I am, if I know him. I was a good friend to your parents; you used to call me 'uncle'… though I don't expect you to now, of course. You can call me Remus." The sickly man looked embarrassed again, so Asuma smiled to try and lessen his nerves._

_ "Then call me Asuma. Good to meet you, Remus." Asuma was beginning to see what made Remus more comfortable; easy acceptance, smooth transitions, calm words. He had acted the same way with many new chunin after the third shinobi war, especially the ones who had refused extensive therapy. At least Remus wasn't acting violent or suicidal, things Asuma had dealt with more often than he would've liked to admit. _

_ "If you don't mind, I'd like to get to know you a bit, Asuma. I haven't seen you since you were young, so I'm curious." And the wizard was honest, a trait Asuma appreciated when he saw it._

_ "Ask away."_

_ "Did you grow up well? When your parents died, you were supposed to go to your aunt, but she isn't the most loving of sorts. What was your life like?"_

_ Asuma smiled at the man's concern; it seemed to be something the other shared with Sirius. "You don't need to worry about my home life, all was well." Remus inwardly breathed a sight of relief. "I was found on the doorstep of Hiruzen and Biwako Sarutobi, and was adopted soon afterwards. Being a part of the Sarutobi clan, I was expected to go to the shinobi academy at least for a few years, but instead I graduated early. The life of a shinobi isn't easy or glamorous, as I said earlier, but I was proud to be one."_

_ "When I was 12, the third great shinobi war began; I was given a field promotion to chunin only a few months into it. My mother died when the Kyuubi attacked, when I was 13, but that was also the end of the war." Asuma took a minute to explain what the Kyuubi was to Remus, leaving out the whole 'Naruto is its jinchuurinki' bit. "I drew away from a lot of my cousins after the war. A lot of them were either too young to talk about it too, or too old to approach, but lately we've talked more. I was a chunin until I was 20, and a member of the twelve guardsman until I was 26. Then I got a genin team, trained them and here I am." Obviously Asuma had glossed over a heck of a lot._

_ "You went through a war?" Remus asked, sounding a bit off._

_ "And a botched invasion by Oto and Suna. What about you, you were probably around for this communities first war." Remus laughed lightly at that._

_ "No, that was 50 years ago. Grindelwald's war. The war I saw was against You-Know-Who. But I wasn't doing fighting missions for the order then, mostly reconnaissance or errands. I was sickly even then." The self-deprecating chuckle that followed that statement made Asuma frown, but he decided to wait to ask._

_ Remus caught his attention again. "Tell me about your family. You mentioned a younger brother earlier?"_

_ Asuma was more than happy to ramble on for a while about that topic, telling the man about his mother's stern personality, what his father and he had disagreed on before his death, and his brother being the next in line to take over the Sarutobi. Remus seemed surprised about the fact that he had a nephew, not to mention being the son of the village leader. They talked for a long time about this and that, Remus avoiding topics like the war or their jobs. They were just getting into talk of the future; something Asuma had, straight faced and blunt, admitted to not thinking about._

_ "I'm getting old for a shinobi, I'll probably die before I'm 40. I like kids, but right now I don't see it coming into play." Asuma fiddled with his gloves. "Shikamaru's always said he wants to be a good shinobi, get married, have 2 kids, play shogi once he's retired and then die before his wife. I've never had the kind of mind he does, so I've never thought very far ahead in that sense."_

_ "I know that feeling. I-" _

_ "Lupin."_

_ The now silent pair turned their eyes to the doorway, where Snape stood holding a smoking vial. Asuma noticed Remus's eyes widening as the dark haired professor stalked over and forced the vial into his hands._

_ "I know you know your own limits, Lupin." The professor almost hissed, reminding Asuma of one of Anko's snake summons. "Sundown is in one hour, take your potion now and we won't have a problem." While Remus downed the presumably helpful liquid, Asuma stood and offered his hand to Snape._

_ "Asuma Sarutobi. I'll be working with you for the next year." Snape eyed his hand as if it were holding an exploding tag, but closed his own around it in the end._

_ "Severus Snape." Tension was thick in the air, mostly one sided, until Remus gave Snape back his vial, an unhappy look on his face. The potions professor took it without a word and stalked off, leaving Asuma amused and Remus looking a bit queasy._

_ "Don't mind him, he's always like that." Asuma sat back down, nodding. "As I was saying, I'd like to have children, __but I'm afraid it isn't in the cards either." Asuma observed the odd shudder that went through Remus's body._

_ "It have anything to do with you condition?" He decided not to assume anything yet about what it was, but Remus was obviously sick. The older man stilled momentarily before closing his eyes, a troubled expression painted on his face._

_ "Oh, I shouldn't have said anything…"_

_ "You don't have to tell me, you know." Asuma was quick to reassure. "Tell me later, after we've known each other longer than a few hours."_

_ Even as he glanced at the clock, Remus looked grateful. "Alright, that sounds good. I had better get going though, you heard Severus." Nodding, Asuma rose and shook Remus's hand again, following him out into the hall but going back into his room instead of going back to the rest of the order. Asuma sighed as he fell onto the bed, worn out despite not actually having done much, and silently asked his father if this was really a good idea after all._

_-line-_

There's another for you! I hope you like it! Next chapter is the order going to Konoha, so look forward to it!


	10. To Konoha

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

Sorry for there being no chapter yesterday! I came down with a really bad case of the flu, but I'm feeling better now! This chapter might not be as long as they have been lately, but I want to get it out since I won't be updating again until next week.

Chapter 9: **To Konoha!**

The preparations for the group of wizards to go to Konoha were completed within the following two days, with some assistance from Tonks's contact in the department of magical transportation. It was decided that the group would take two long distance portkeys; one to Japan, and then another to the outskirts of Konoha, where they would walk the rest of the way to the village. Remus had been the one to plan the route this way, so as to lessen any wayward exposure to magic; he had been uncomfortably reminded of the barrier between muggle and wizard when he had delivered the news to Petunia Dursley. Needless to say, despite having met Asuma once before, the woman had not been overly thrilled at having the past dragged into her life again.

The eight wizards met at Grimmauld Place in the early morning, their luggage shrunk to fit in their pockets and the portkey (a picture frame) placed on the kitchen table. All of them had foregone robes in favor of muggle clothing; though they went to Remus for help with this since their own attempts were usually disastrous. They stood around the table, Hagrid hunched slightly to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling and Remus's eye trained carefully on the clock. It was quiet and somber, everyone either too tired or too withdrawn to be bothered to talk much.

At half past ten, Remus called out for everyone to grab hold of the portkey. Within a minute, a flash of blue light illuminated the room and the group was whisked off. The portkey was as violent and jarring as they remembered, and when they were deposited in the middle of a wooded area, Neville and Hagrid both lurched off to the side.

"You two okay?" Sirius asked, amusement finally showing on his face. Hagrid, green faced but chuckling, reached over to pat Neville on the back but instead made the teen fall onto the ground. Remus shook his head as Hagrid helped Neville back up.

"Molly, you have the second portkey?" The Weasley matriarch pulled an old hat out of her bag and handed it to Remus. Back to watching the clock, Fred and George took a moment to observe their surroundings.

"Looks a little like those-"

"-books Professor Asuma had us read? Yeah." The one-eared twin finished, grinning at his brother.

"I don't know what you guys were reading, but my class never got there." Neville chimed in, having finally regained most of his color. The twins shook their heads balefully at the younger man.

"Why, that's exactly it my good man-"

"-it was never covered in the _classe_-"

"Grab hold!" The sudden yell caught everyone's attention and they all abandoned whatever small talk had been forming in favor of reaching for the hat. Hagrid, who had been farthest from the portkey, barely had a second to spare to grab the thing, before they all felt the familiar tug below the navel as they were whisked away yet again. The second trip seemed even worse that the first, it was certainly far faster, and twice as long.

Hagrid and Neville once again lurched after landing, but this time the seventh year actually did lose his lunch in a nearby bush. Hagrid refrained from repeating his actions from earlier, so Molly went to fuss over Neville instead, producing a vial of water and a napkin from her handbag.

"We're here?" Sirius questioned quietly, scanning all around him. They were in another wooded area, but this time they had landed on what looked like a well traveled path instead of a small clearing. Unfortunately, even asking Hagrid to look could not afford them an idea of which way to go. That is, until Tonks reminded everyone of the 'point me' spell, thereby making all present feel very, very stupid.

"Well, let's get going then." Molly took charge after thanking Tonks for her help; fully taking advantage of the opportunities this situation gave her to be in her element (having had to boss around seven children for the better part of three decades). The wizards, now having an inking of their ultimate destination, followed the two witches with renewed vigor. Tonks placed herself directly beside Molly, feeling it wasn't her place to interrupt Remus and Sirius's impromptu heart-to-heart, which had surfaced a few feet behind them.

"Do you think we'll see any shinobi on the way, Molly?" Tonks knew that the other woman had talked with Asuma in private about… things… but wasn't sure if it was about the village or not. "Asuma said that there are usually a few outside the village, but didn't they just come out of some sort of war?"

Molly hummed in agreement, a little distracted with casting the 'point me' every few feet. A tryst around the castle late at night in her first year at Hogwarts had taught her the imperfect nature of using 'point me' as a guide, and she was not about to make the same mistake in a foreign land. "I haven't the foggiest, Tonks. But you probably- _point me, Konoha_ –have the right idea." The now green haired woman didn't look very reassured.

"I just don't want to come across some high strung, battle ready shinobi worried about his village when all we have for identification is some letter. I mean, you would think they're expecting us, Sirius did write back pretty fast, but maybe Mad-Eye's rubbed off on me a bit too much." Molly graced her companion with a tight smile, trying to hide that she was just as worried.

"It'll all be _fine_, dear." The next few minutes were spent in silence, faint murmurs from the twins and the Marauders the only sounds in the air. Looking around, Tonks found she really liked the scenery; what little there was of it too be seen. The trees looked familiar enough, until you looked closer and saw that some of them had little pink blossoms on the branches. The path was worn and level, but still had the occasional patch of grass or bush around, and in the distance… Tonks's eyes widened in excitement.

"I think I see Konoha!" Seven heads shot up at her words, and indeed there was an oddly shaped rock formation just above the horizon. Most of the others had to squint to see what it was, but Tonks prided herself on her eyesight (even if it didn't lessen her clumsiness) and cheerfully informed the others that it was a face they were seeing.

"A face?" Sirius asked dubiously. He only vaguely recalled Asuma detailing something similar. "That big?" Tonks and Remus shared a look; they were the only two who had heard of Mt. Rushmore, as everyone else was purely wizard raised.

"That would be the Hokage monument." Everyone turned to Neville and he coloured quickly, averting his gaze in embarrassment. "What? I remember things…"

"Alright, let's get those translation spells cast!" Molly announced loudly, brandishing her wand like so many a wooden spoon that it made the twins take a small step back. Molly was just happy she didn't have to cast 'point me' any longer, because now that she had cast all the translation spells, she was feeling drained. Hagrid noticed and offered to carry her the rest of the way, but Molly vehemently declined, laughing shrilly at the thought.

"Thank you Hagrid, but I'm terribly afraid of heights. You've never seen me on a broom, have you?" Sharing a small laugh, the group pressed onward, the face in the distance slowly becoming bigger until the enormous wall that ran all around the village eclipsed it. The wizards gawked at the sheer size, despite having seen similar size at Hogwarts and the quidditch world cup. They still had to walk quite long time, they soon realized, having come out of the forest exactly halfway between the two nearest gates.

Molly was still nervous, especially when she chanced looking up and saw a masked and cloaked person watching them from the top of the wall. Despite hiding in London and her husband working in it, she had never been to a city for very long, and the myriad of noises filtering down to them from over the wall didn't help her nerves. She also had only just begun to realize that she was heading into a village that was governed by mercenaries; regardless of her opinions of Asuma, she wasn't entirely happy with that prospect.

Following in Tonks and Remus's wake, Molly now had the chance now to look around her, and while the masked person from a minute ago had gone, in his place was a sprinting man dressed in green. Behind them, she saw a travelling group heading the same way they had come, and to her right she could see moving, human sized blurs flitting through the trees. The gate was almost upon them, and once there they had to wait behind a man with a cart before they could go to the processing desk.

Two shinobi awaited them, and Molly took the time to scrutinize their appearances. They both wore the same clothes and symbols that Asuma had worn, minus his waist sash, and one had two weapons strapped to his back, but that was where the similarities ended. The first was sitting and eating some kind of sweet, and wasn't paying much attention to the group of wizards in front of him. He had unruly, spiky black hair that Molly would have loved to take a cutting charm to, and his eyes were even more narrowed than was apparently the norm in Konoha. He had some kind of black paint or cloth on his chin, and a bandage that stretched across his nose and under both ears. The other shinobi, beginning to stand up to greet them, was a little more Molly's speed. His forehead protector wasn't on a headband, but instead on a hat, and his straight brown hair hid his right eye completely from view. He also had some kind of chin covering, and unlike his companion seemed to be at least a bit interested in the approaching group.

"Can I see some identification please?" He addressed Tonks, not so subtly eyeing her green and orange hair. Tonks turned to Sirius, who passed her the letter, which she promptly presented to the shinobi. He read it calmly, not betraying any of his thoughts, and when he handed it back to them he made a motion for them to wait as he ducked behind the desk.

"Name's Kamizuki Izumo, hope you have a good stay, despite the reason behind it." Izumo said casually, coming back to the group with a small stack of thick, folded papers. He grabbed the top one and opened it, reading out Molly's name from inside and handing it to her when she indicated it was hers. The shinobi's gaze lingered on Hagrid even after the half-giant had taken the paper and gently placed it in one of his coat pockets. "These will be your identification papers while you're in Konoha, and they're valid until the 30th, which is two weeks from now. Do you have prior accomodations?" Tonks shook her head and Izumo sighed, long and drawn out, turning to his companion.

"Oi, Kotetsu, get off your ass and come over here." The other, Kotetsu, put his empty cup on the table and easily vaulted over the wood, also taking a moment to give Hagrid a once over. "You aren't doing anything, take these people to get a genin team to show them around or something."

"Fine, fine." Kotetsu said, stretching a bit and starting to make his way down Konoha's main street. Izumo waved the wizards past, but before they were out of earshot he gave one parting remark.

"Oh yeah, and welcome to Konoha."

-line-

Yeah, I'm dragging it out, but damn, I didn't think I could write this much coming off the flu. Must be my spectacular will power!

Hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to review, I'd appreciate any thoughts, criticisms or suggestions!


	11. Hogwarts

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

I'm back! Had a good March Break, hope you all did too!

**Addressing reviews segment!** This will be here if you want to ask any questions! To **twixxy-dee**, you gave me some good ideas that I hadn't thought of before, thanks so much! I honestly hadn't thought much about Snape before now, but now I see that I should plan that; definitely want to include his spy aspect! Also, I have been updating very frequently lately. All the chapters you have read have been posted in the last two months, but the story was originally posted in 2011; this is basically a revamp.

Chapter 10: **And now, Hogwarts.**

_ During the two weeks that Asuma was in the Black house, he spent the majority of that time with either Remus or Sirius. Molly Weasley had expressly told him to not speak with her unless it was necessary, and the only other people ever in the house were the children and the occasional order member. So instead of lingering where he wasn't wanted or going beyond observing his future students, Asuma was mainly concerned with getting to know his family while he had the chance to._

_ Remus had disappeared for a few days after his talk with Asuma, and had returned looking even worse than he had before. Despite his calm appearance, Asuma found himself worried about the man, even after only having met him once. Sirius did his best to assuage his godson's nerves, but nothing really came of it besides Asuma accepting that this was a regular occurrence. Even so, Asuma stayed up one night writing a nutrition plan for the slightly malnourished man, presenting it to him the next morning along with a raised eyebrow._

_ "I'm not sure what's going on with you, Remus, and I said I'd let you come to me. But Sirius tells me you're like this a lot, and I don't think I like that." Remus took the offered paper dubiously, running his eyes over it with a slightly confused air. "I don't like it when comrades –and yes, we're comrades in relation to this order- don't take care of themselves. It puts people at risk, it gets people killed."_

_ Remus had thanked him with a stunned expression on his face, and Asuma considered his job successful._

_ Sirius, as opposed to Remus, had only seemed to get livelier as the week drew on. His eyes were a little less sunken, his hair pulled back out of his face and his robes suddenly gaining small repairs. Asuma suspected that it was all the recent human interaction he had been receiving, having gleaned that the man had been stuck in this house for the past two years with only a house elf (the appearance of which had startled him more than he cared to admit) and the occasional order member popping in for company. Sirius had by far been the person Asuma had spent the most time with; the man was a veritable wealth of magical knowledge, being a member of the order and having basically read through his entire library out of boredom. Asuma had made use of this and had turned the majority of their conversations into laidback interrogations._

_ Besides that, the two weeks spent in the house were fairly uneventful for the shinobi. Rarely had he experienced such a humdrum mission, though he expected it to pick up once he had arrived at the school. He had spent a bit of time planning out his classes, had written another mission report, had read a few of the books Remus had recommended, and had been taught how to play chess._

_ Incidentally, he much preferred shogi._

_ Finally, the morning of their departure arrived, and since Asuma had packed the night before, he was able to sit back and watch the Weasley family run around like headless chickens. He would have offered assistance, but he didn't want to disobey Molly's request to not interact with her. He shot Sirius an amused look when the other man sat down beside him, gesturing to the scrambling family._

_ "Reminds me of my genin a little bit." Sirius chuckled. "I guess I'll be back around… what was it called, Halloween?" _

_ "Yup. That's about right." Sirius consented mildly, eyes mainly trained on the Weasleys. The two sat in a companionable silence for another 10 minutes before Arthur came over and insisted they had to leave. Sirius clapped Asuma on the back in farewell, an odd look on his face as his godson approached the door. Asuma was the last one out, but before he closed the door he looked over his shoulder at the older man._

_ "Feel free to send me a letter, though you should use the alias 'Ebisu' so you don't get caught." Enjoying the surprised look on the other's face, Asuma waved and closed the door._

_ The walk to King's Cross station was hurried, Molly and Arthur leading the procession and Asuma bringing up the rear. He took a bit of time to inspect the foreign architecture, but the main objective of the walk was to get to the train on time, so Asuma didn't dawdle. In the station the large group of redheads parted the crowds effortlessly, probably intimidating in their loudness and amount of luggage. Asuma practically choked on his own spit when he saw Ginny and Ron take off running towards a pillar and pass straight through. Arthur saw and patted his shoulder reassuringly. _

_ "Completely normal reaction. Just take a run after us Sarutobi, it'll be fine." Asuma almost doubted the man's words, but consciously reminded himself of the… 'otherness' of his current whereabouts._

_ Upon reaching the platform, the first thing Asuma saw was the crowd of families, students running this way and that through the steam. The second was the bright red steam engine that would transport him to Hogwarts, and even though Asuma didn't know a thing about trains, he was pretty sure that this one was impressive. Arthur waved him over to their group a few metres away, and shook hands with him, offering a bit of advice on which compartment to take._

_ "Best to take one near the end, they'll get filled up slower and you might get to have one to yourself." Arthur glanced at his preoccupied wife and then smiled strangely. "Keep an eye on my kids, would you?"_

_ "Of course..." …he wasn't going to play favourites, but there was no reason to openly refuse the man such a simple request. He could probably tell the father a few things at every order meeting and that would be satisfactory. _

_ Asuma walked away from the family to find a compartment where Arthur had suggested; the Weasley's needed some time for goodbyes without him there. As he weaved through the smoke and uniform clad students, he caught sight of a blonde man enthusiastically hugging his daughter goodbye, and he was reminded instantly of Gai and Lee._

_**What in Fire country would the wizard's reactions be to that duo?**__ Asuma thought, and immediately wished he hadn't. An image of the teacher and student in front of their infamous sunset scene came to mind, along with another of the two trying to get Sirius to wear one of their jumpsuits. Asuma gained some looks at the bark of laughter that escaped him at the thought of his godfather's plight._

_ The steam became thin as he reached the end of the train, and he easily found an empty compartment in the last car. Putting his storage scroll and mission pack in the luggage hold, Asuma sat down with a book Sirius had lent him, and planned to stay that way for the entirety of the trip._

_-line-_

_ Some hours later however, he was interrupted in his reading by his door being suddenly and rather forcefully opened. In came the Weasley twins and a dark skinned boy, who quickly drew the curtains and sat down, exuding a forcefully relaxed air. Not a minute later, the door was wrenched open again, this time by a burly student with two smaller standing behind him._

_ "Fancy seeing you here, Montague." George said conversationally._

_ "Yeah, how was your summer?" Fred asked, just as nonchalantly._

_ Asuma could tell that the other boy was struggling not to laugh._

_ "Don't mess with me, weasel. I know you're the one who slipped me that weird candy." 'Montague's' face was almost beet red in anger, but the twins seemed unfazed._

_ "Couldn't have, Montague-"_

_ "-we've been with Professor Sarutobi the entire time." Montague's eyes shot to Asuma's spot, and after a moment of hesitation he retreated, obviously wary of a teacher he had never seen before. Once the door closed, Fred and George turned to Asuma with identical grins._

_ "Thanks so much, Professor-"_

_ "-that could have gotten ugly if you hadn't been here-"_

_ "-not that we couldn't have handled it, of course."_

_ Asuma nodded, returning to his book now that the intrusion had been dealt with. The twins and their friend stayed until the Hogwarts Express came to a stop; Asuma quickly learned that the other boy was 'Lee' and that the trio had in fact pranked Montague. The teens rushed out of the compartment as soon as they could, though they helpfully told Asuma that he should take one of the carriages up to the castle._

_ The skeletal horses certainly granted a second glance, as well as a mental note to ask about why most of the students couldn't see them. He caught one of the first carriages leaving; sitting with a group of younger students who were too caught up in their first carriage ride to pay him any mind. The view of the actual castle was slightly obstructed by the trees, but Asuma could still see that the structure was larger than any he had seen previously, and just as impressive. He followed the students up to a large set of wooden doors, big enough to fit his apartment inside, and once there Asuma located Minerva directing the lower years to the Great hall._

_The rest of the night moved fairly quickly, all considered. Upon reaching her, Minerva had ushered Asuma to the next set of doors, and from there had been brought to the staff table by a short, portly woman named Sprout. He was told the names of the teachers next to him and given his class schedule, and soon the sorting began. Asuma had a few reservations about the apparent structure of the school, but he forgot those for the moment upon seeing that there was a __**talking, singing hat**__ in his presence._

_ The Great hall lived up to it's name, Asuma could say that at least; he had resolved to ignore the hat for the time being, not wanting to potentially damage his brain trying to rationalize it. The high ceilings were hidden behind some sort of spell that mimicked the sky outside, and light was cast by a thousand floating candles; none of which seemed to drip wax. There were four tables excluding the staff table, and as the sorting suggested, it was indeed set up to differentiate between the houses (something Sirius had only briefly touched upon). He took note of which teachers clapped the loudest for each table, and was a bit startled when he caught Dumbledore's eye and the old man waved at him. After the final names were called, the feast began, and Asuma made another mental note to talk to someone about perhaps including a few more familiar foods in the future. Sprout chose that time to strike up a conversation._

_ "Pomona Sprout, Herbology professor. Hope you're liking Hogwarts so far, Sarutori." Asuma shook the woman's hand, inwardly amused that she had called him a 'monkey bird' instead of 'jumping monkey'. "Looking forward to the school year?"_

_ "It's good to meet you as well, Sprout-san, and I am looking forward to it. But I'm afraid my name isn't Sarutori. I'm Asuma Saru__**tobi**__." The short woman laughed embarrassedly at her blunder, apologizing sincerely. The man to Asuma's left also extended a hand, having taken an interest as soon as the shinobi had entered the hall._

_ "Filius Flitwick. I teach Charms here at the school, I hope we can get along well." Asuma smiled lightly at the extremely short man as he returned the handshake._

_ "Likewise." A few minutes were spent eating, but then Asuma decided to ask Flitwick about the classes, making sure to address his only other teaching experience._

_ "You see, I've only ever tutored small groups of children and teens before. Is there anything I need to do differently, anything I should watch out for?" Flitwick considered the question seriously before answering matter-of-factly. _

_ "With all the students, you'll likely find it harder to devote individual attention to each one, that is the number one thing you should prepare for. If you have trouble remembering names, a good tactic to do is taking roll call everyday." Asuma nodded, filing away the advice like so many a mission detail in the past. "Defense is one of the required classes for first to fifth years, so you'll have less students in sixth and seventh years. If anything, at least be watchful during classes in which Gryffindor and Slytherin students are placed together. They have a long rivalry that we cannot manage to squash no matter how many years go by."_

_ "Also, don't be afraid to send students out of your class." Sprout interjected, a determined look on her face. "A lot of new teachers think they can't, but if a student is being disruptive or putting the class in danger, you have options. Send them to their head of house, dock points, put them in a corner of the room. I've even assigned detentions where I just taught them individually; something which __**should**__ be done if the student isn't keeping up with the others."_

_ "Thanks, I'll certainly keep your advice in mind." Asuma assured them, genuinely grateful for their words. Had he not previously known about some of those things, he may have had a harder time adjusting to the different teaching methods he was expected to employ. Before he could ask anything else, the food disappeared and Dumbledore had stood, motioning for the student body to quiet down._

_ Asuma paid attention to the speech, but only just barely. His mind was quickly thinking up lesson plans and various tactics he wanted to impart, though he would have to ask Dumbledore about some of his ideas first. He tuned in for part of the pink woman's speech, but just as quickly tuned it out, not finding it very helpful beyond cementing what he already knew of this community's government. It was only when his name was called that he looked to Sprout, and she whispered that he was supposed to stand and acknowledge the students. Asuma stood up, extremely conscious of the myriad of eyes watching his every move, and bowed shortly; exuding a relaxed air he didn't entirely feel. Dumbledore went on to dismiss the students a few minutes later, and as they began filing out into the Entrance hall, the old man approached Asuma._

_ "Mr. Sarutobi, if I could have a word in private?" Asuma followed his employer into a small chamber off the Great hall, and took that moment to light a cigarette; he noticed that Dumbledore seemed to avert his gaze at the action._

_ "What is it you need, Dumbledore-san?" Asuma faced the old wizard, an interested look on his face._

_ "I simply wanted to welcome you to Hogwarts Mr. Sarutobi, perhaps answer any remaining questions you may have." Asuma nodded._

_ "I have a few. Firstly, I cannot use magic, what am I to teach the students? As well, is there to be a cover story to explain my presence? I cannot expect that I will not be asked."_

_ Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "We have taken care of the magical aspect, Cornelius has insisted that Ms. Umbridge take half of each year's classes and focus on spells, whereas the your classes will focus on physical defense. We were informed you were proficient in hand-to-hand defense?" Asuma wouldn't have used the word 'defense', but he agreed for the simplicity of it. "And since you wish not to reveal yourself as Harry Potter, I think it best you tell the truth about why you are here. Well, as much as you deem fit to tell, at the very least."_

_ "Also, Dumbledore-san, I would like to ask that I be allowed to eliminate students from my classes if they do not take them seriously. What I teach is not to be made light of." For a moment, Dumbledore's expression mimicked sadness, but it was gone in a blink._

_ "That can be arranged, although perhaps a three strike system should be employed. A warning which would include the docking of house points, a suspension and at least one detention, and then a ban from the class. It will be fairer this way, and students will have a harder time objecting. Is there anything else?"_

_ "Not particularly. Although, who cooks the food in this school? I would like to talk to them about something." Dumbledore laughed._

_ "I'll have someone show you tomorrow. Well, I must be off Mr. Sarutobi. Have a good night's rest." Asuma watched the wizard leave, a tad disappointed that the man was as unreadable as he had assumed. _

_ At least things would be interesting here._

_-line-_

Holy crap, almost 3000 words! By far my longest chapter! I really like writing Asuma's interaction with everyone.

Also, you all know that I don't read Naruto week to week anymore, but have you _seen_ chapter 668? By Acacia, it features Might Guy and his FATHER! Seriously, it's one of the best chapters I've read lately, and I absolutely loved it. I would write another fic for Naruto based purely on my love of Guy, Lee and now Dai. Does anyone want to see some sort of crossover involving them in the future?

Next: First class! Fifth year students.


	12. First Class

An Honoured Shinobi

by: Alfred Juumonji

Disclaimer: I don't own these works.

Hey guys! I am sooooooo sorry for taking so long to update! I would have gotten up a super long chapter a while ago, but a virus deleted it! This has happened before too, and it was only the one document. Because of that I lost my will to write, but now I'm back baby (maybe)! Though, I can't bring myself to risk getting the file deleted again (my girlfriend refuses to admit that the computer could have caught a virus and I'm terrible with stuff like this), so I'm going to be sticking with the slightly shorter format.

**Addressing Reviews Segment!** To **twirlgirl4life1**, sorry for the confusion about Asuma/Harry's identity! I notice that you're on chapter 3, so if you continue reading it should clear up at least a little bit. To **Beloved Daughter**, thanks for pointing that out! I originally was going to eliminate Umbridge altogether, which is why at the beginning I tried to write it vaguely. But later on I changed my mind, which might be where the confusion started.

Chapter 11: **The first class.**

_ Asuma sat at his desk in his new classroom, a pile of papers to his left and a chalkboard to his right. Studying the layout of the room he would be occupying for the next 10 months, he found that he was fairly satisfied with it, considering that he only had his previous experiences at the academy to draw on for reference. The room was about the same size as an academy classroom, with the desks arranged in a semi circle facing the front, set in raised aisles also similar to the academy. Asuma's desk and the chalkboard were on the lowest level, just set back from an empty space that the desks surrounded which would be used for demonstrations. In both corners behind him were doors; one lead to a hallway on the second floor, and the other lead down to an open courtyard, which would be used for training during the warmer months._

_ Asuma was as prepared as he could be for the week. Before he had gone to sleep last night, he had gathered all the materials he would need so he wouldn't have to this morning, and it was a good thing that he did. As soon as he had finished getting dressed earlier, he had been accosted by a very excitable house elf. Surprised that Dumbledore had been so quick in acknowledging his request, it had taken him longer to get through his business with 'Teaky', but eventually he had. He was looking forward to one of his students asking about the new foods included at breakfast._

_ Now all that he had left to do was wait for the teenagers to show up. Asuma was actually a little unsure about whether or not he could handle a classroom full of students; and multiple classes at that. He would be the first to admit that he didn't have Iruka's natural inclination towards teaching. Heck, it was a surprise to him that his genin had managed to be so competent lately. _

_ Alas, Asuma would have to dwell on his insecurities later, for he could hear the door opening slowly from behind him. Turning his head, he gestured for the blonde young man to come fully into the room, asking him his name as he inched further into the room._

_ "I-I'm, uh- Neville. Neville Lo-Longbottom, sir." Mentally raising an eyebrow at the boy's jumpy behavior, Asuma ticked a small box beside his name and pointed to the desk closest to his own; all the while Neville kept glancing around warily. Rustling in his top drawer a moment, Asuma soon located the seating plan that he had noticed earlier and jotted Nevilles name down as well. When he was done with this, he sat back in his chair and leveled the nervous teen with an evaluating stare, causing the boy to duck his head even as he sat down._

_ "So, Longbottom. You have been at Hogwarts for four years now. How do you find it?" The teen grumbled something Asuma couldn't catch, but after a minute spoke up._

_ "I, uh… I like Herbology. And Charms. They're the only classes I'm g-good at, really." Asuma nodded in understanding. "I g-guess that… Quidditch games are-are fun? I mean- I don't p-play, or anything… it's just... I mean…"_

_ "Nothing wrong with not liking a sport, now. Personally, I don't even know what Quidditch is." Neville gaped briefly at his teacher before be blushed violently and looked away. _

_ "Wh-what do you mean, er- Professor?" Asuma shook his head._

_ "Well, I'll explain once the rest of the class has got here. I don't want to repeat myself anymore than I have to." Neville nodded, and almost as if by magic the door opened again at that moment, revealing close to twenty students. As the teens took their seats (a distinct split between the green and red robes), Asuma readied his attendance and seating papers and stood to lean on his desk. After the bell rang, Asuma went about completing those tasks, before he set them down and turned back to the room._

_ "Is there anyone absent right now?" Receiving a negative response, Asuma continued. "Alright then. I am going to explain a few important things to you, and during that time there will be no talking." Asuma took a piece of chalk in his hand and began writing on the board as he spoke. "My name is Asuma Sarutobi. I would prefer it if you called me Sarutobi-sensei instead of Professor*, and I will be your instructor for the Physical portion of your Defense classes. Professor Umbridge will handle your spellwork, as I cannot perform magic." Asuma could hear several murmurs from the class, but he decided to ignore them this once. "This class will be strenuous, it will require hard work, and I will not allow you to make light of it. You will receive two warnings; the first will be a loss of house points, and the second will be detention and a suspension from this class. A third transgression will result in permanent expulsion."_

_ Asuma finished writing and set the chalk down. As he looked back at his students, many of them regarded him with stunned faces, making him grin. He leisurely pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it*, drawing a completely scandalized expression from a bushy haired girl sitting next to Neville. "Any questions?"_

_ Several hands shot up and he pointed to a dark skinned boy sitting in the second row._

_ "What do you mean you can't do magic, uh, Sarutobi-sensei." Asuma smiled, having expected that this would be the first question._

_ "Simple, I am not a wizard." Now many of the students looked scandalized, and Asuma let out a bark of laughter. "Though I must say that I am no muggle either. I am a shinobi. Yes, Brown?"_

_ Lavender lowered her hand quickly. "What's a shinobi?"_

_ "A shinobi is someone who can mould chakra, allowing them to perform various feats normally impossible for civilians. It is a profession in my homeland. Shall I demonstrate?" Many in the class nodded, so Asuma went to the nearest wall and began to walk up it. He smirked at the shocked squawk that Ron let out, and he continued until he was facing them upside down from the middle of the ceiling. _

"_Chakra is similar to magic, though they come from different places. In Konohagakure, my home, anyone who passes the graduation exam at the shinobi academy is given one of these." Here he pointed to his forehead protector. "It symbolizes what village the shinobi comes from. Yes, Granger?"_

_ "Are-Are you going to be teaching us chakra, Sarutobi-sensei?" Asuma noted the girl's enthusiasm, and jumped back down to his previous position, prompting more amazed sounds._

_ "No." And it was indeed funny to watch the class deflate like that. "Chakra has to start being trained early. Even the first years would be too old to learn. I will teach you physical defense; hand to hand fighting and body conditioning. You never know when you might lose your wand." Asuma pointed to one of the Slytherin girls._

_ "How are the classes set up?"_

_Asuma leaned back on the desk. "You may have noticed that this year you have two slots a week for DADA. The slot today has the subtitle 'Physical', and the other has 'Spellwork'. Treat it as having an extra class every week." Asuma was beginning to find a pattern in the collective groans let out by his class, and chuckled. "It's set up this way because my classes will be very tiring, and you'll need time to recuperate afterwards. I've heard that Professor Umbridge is going to do more of a textbook based curriculum, so that will give your body a bit of a rest. Yes, Miss Patil?"_

_Parvati lowered her hand, sitting straighter while Asuma looked at her. "Why **don't** you want to be called professor, sir? You seemed fine calling Professor Umbridge that."_

_"AH, that." Asuma took a long drag from his cigarette. "It's because that was my father's title. 'Hakase', 'The Professor'. It feels wrong to use it posthumously."_

_That statement garnered several minutes of murmuring, during which Asuma wrote more on the board. Once he felt the students had gossiped for long enough, he drew their attention to the exercise that he had put up._

_"By next week, you are to find out all of these points and bring them back to me. We will re-test then and create your lesson plan. For now, you're all dismissed." No one moved just yet, busy copying down the words off of the board, but eventually everyone finished and they left for their next class._

Schedule

Monday: 1-5th year GS 3-1st year HR

Tuesday: 2-4th year HS 4-2nd year SR

Wednesday: 1-3rd year GH 3-6th 7th year All 6-3rd year SR

Thursday: 2-2nd year GH 4-4th year RG

Friday: 1-1st year GS 3-5th year HR

*The third hokage's nickname was 'hakase' or 'professor', 'sensei' means teacher

*Hermione is the only one scandalized because she is muggle born, most ninjas and wizards I've read about in both series don't _really_ make much of a deal out of smoking (though I should note that I don't endorse it). He smokes in the school because while both the societies are old fashioned in different ways, this is an area where there is a bit of overlap where its okay

Also, I really wasn't motivated for this chapter so I'm not that proud of it, but I wanted to give you guys who've started to follow me something else. I can't promise any quick updates or anything, but I will definitely endeavour to write more frequently. It becomes a big problem for me if the stuff I'm writing about doesn't interest me, and right now I really want to do anything BUT think about Naruto.


End file.
